Beer: Reviews & Ratings

From tasting notes: L: Brilliant amber under a thin white head. S: Light smoke and caramel. T: Light smoke on the tongue grows a little in the aftertaste, caramel and traces of light chocolate. F: Medium body, medium-medium low carbonation. O: This is an easy to drink rauchbier as the smoke is not as intense as some. (318 characters)

Stopped by the brewery to check it out, filled a couple growlers, and then wandered around back to check out the taps. Unfortunately, they didn't have this marzen available for growlers.

Poured into a tall flute, reddish amber with a sticky foam head. Aroma of light smoked malt, honey and caramel. Taste was lightly sweet honey, biscuit, nut, malt, hint of smoked wood-malt really added a nice layer of complexity. Small dose of bitter hop keeps the sweetness clean and the finish is fairly dry. Creamy feel, nicely carbonated and a well crafted body. This is a very nice marzen, one of the best I've had in recent memory.

Taste: more of the same. Rich, meaty maltiness, coats the palate, spreads semi-sweetness, matched by smoke. This delivers the sweet, malty flavors of a marzen wrapped up in the smokiness of a rauchbier. There's not a single damned thing wrong with this, and several things right. Not too much to say about it.

Copied from Harriet Brewing website: Rauchfest is our German-Style Smoked Lager. It celebrates Oktoberfest the Harriet way, with a smoldering savoriness! The 50% beechwood-smoked malt and tinge of noble hop character contribute a balanced layer of complexity to this toasty brew. The drink is medium-bodied with a moderately dry finish.
~ 25 IBU
~ 5.5% ABV

Aggressive first pour from a fresh growler:

A-2 fingers of rocky off white head, golden with a definite reddish hue, perfectly clear with a few tiny CO2 bubbles. The head breaks down quickly but hangs on to the side of the glass.
S-Nice whiff of savory lightly smoked malt, a bit like a freshly baked honey ham. Some spicy noble hops round out the aroma.
T-Nicely smoked malt taste-not overpowering like some rauchbiers, that balances perfectly with the hint of spicy non-resiny hop. Nice crisp finish that invites the next drink.
M-Moderate carbonation sting with a nice malty mouthfeel beyond your typical lager.
D-Very drinkable with the benefit of great taste. Yep-I might even say tastes great and less filling.
O-The combo of smoked malt and hops really gives a nice complexity to what may seem a simple beer at first glance. Will enjoy this growler. Another nice beer from HB. (1,256 characters)